


Companion

by WinterDrake



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, feral character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-26
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2018-07-18 09:14:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7309042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterDrake/pseuds/WinterDrake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Dragonborn travels to Solstheim once more after defeating Miraak. She only meant to bring back a book, but finds herself bringing back someone else as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"It was at my farm late last night." Jurgik, a Nord clad in simple peasant clothing, slightly slurred as he waved about his drink. Some of the mead spilled out his tankard and landed on the table and himself. The man didn't seem to notice and took a deep swig of whatever he had in his hand. The Retching Netch was busy tonight and the Dragonborn was irritated beyond words at having to be here. She hated dealing with drunks, especially Nord drunks.

"And what do you think it was?" The Dragonborn prodded impatiently. She wanted to deal with Jurgik and get back to the mainland as quickly as possible but it looked like that would take longer than she thought. All she wanted was a book. Why in the Nine's name did that mean she would have to go about doing favor after favor for people until they gave her what she wanted? This man could easily give her the book, he didn't seem to really care for a dusty old tome as he himself stated, but no. Jurgik would only give it to her if she killed some beast he saw the other night.

"I don't know. It looked like a person but it sure didn't act like one. It growled at me so I got the hell outta there before it came after me. It was… Unnatural."

"It was dark so maybe you saw a bear or wolf?" The woman suggested. It had probably been some animal that the man mistook it for something else. He'd probably been drunk when he saw it too. Nords did like their drink.

"I don't know and I don't care. I just want you to kill it. That Bristleback of mine it killed was from the Rieklings, you know. It was perfectly tame. Do you know how hard it is to get one of those?" Jurgik looked at her and she nodded her head, pretending she knew. "So once you kill it, I'll give you the damn book, alright? I need to make sure it's dead so it won't try to get the rest of my boars when I let them out of the barn."

"Fine."

The Dragonborn turned away from the man and left the inn swiftly. The woman wanted to get this request done with so she could head back to Skyrim. Sometimes she hated being so nice. When Urag Gro-Shub asked her for a book, the warrior could not say no. She was the Dragonborn, Archmage of the College of Winterhold, the Slayer of Alduin and the Savior of Solstheim but she was incapable of saying no to someone in need, even if it was for something as trivial as a book. The warrior knew to never say that in front of Urug though. He would have given her a long angry lecture on why the books were important.

When the Dragonborn arrived on Solstheim once more and questioned the residents about the whereabouts of the book, _The Reclamations_ , she had ending up doing a few tasks before the residents would part with their knowledge. After delivering a few goods here and there, the warrior was told the book was part of a Dark Elf's personal collection. She had gone to the Mer but he would not part with it, no matter the reason or price. The Elf did tell her that there was one other person he knew with a copy. A man named Jurgik had come to him weeks earlier to try and sell _The Reclamations_. As the Mer already had one, he had declined to purchase it.

The Dragonborn had thanked the Elf and found Jurgik drinking at the local inn the next night. Solstheim's hero wasn't about to steal or threaten anyone for a book so she agreed to do a favor for the Nord in return for what she wanted. If the woman could get that blasted book without harming anyone then she was okay with a bit of inconvenience. But she had a right to be a little irritated by it, which she was.

* * *

The chill of Solstheim's air made the Dragonborn shiver. She readjusted her armor and pulled a cloak she had bought for this journey tighter around herself. Metal armor did not ward off the cold very well. Thankfully, Solstheim was not as cold as it was the first time she came here, which was in the dead of the coldest months. The volcanic ash from Red Mountain warmed the southern part of the island but the rest was as cold as it had always been, she had been told. The ash made the land much less habitable, however, and the dust storms were not something anyone enjoyed. While traveling, the change in temperature sometimes made the warrior feel sick.

Being back on this island brought back memories and regrets the Dragonborn wished she did not have. She had saved Solstheim. But at what cost? Had she damned herself? And why did she feel this nagging feeling of guilt whenever she thought of that stupid, arrogant Dragon Priest, Miraak? She had defeated him, well Hermaeus Mora had actually done that bit but, why did his death cause her regret? He was a monster. He deserved his fate.

But even if that was the case, the feelings of regret lingered and the Dragonborn hoped that wherever Miraak's soul was now, that he was free. He was supposed to have been a savior at one time too. But he chose a different path for himself and sold himself to a Daedra. And look where he ended up. The woman preferred not to think of the fact that she had done the same thing.

These thoughts kept the female Dragonborn's mind busy until she finally reached the farm the Nord man owned. Thankfully even drunk, the Jurgik's directions were accurate. Investigating the surroundings, the warrior found the spot where a boar had been killed. The strange mixture of ash and snow around the farm had been disturbed here, but the area was quickly being covered up by more falling from the sky. There was a faint trail leading away from the farm. Whatever had killed the boar had also dragged it away, probably eating a bit of it first as there was pieces of hide and flesh scattered about.

The Dragonborn unsheathed her sword as she followed the trail. As she followed it, she shivered. The warrior could feel that something was off, like there was some sort of presence about. She remained alert for any trouble and continued on in the silent night.

After a surprising amount of time had passed and the woman had entered the pure snow laden grounds of Solstheim, the warrior found the carcass. It wasn't as large as the Bristlebacks she normally saw so it must have been young. Its exposed ribs stuck out of its torn flesh. A leg had been ripped off and its eyes stared sightlessly at the sky. The beast's mouth was open and its tongue was missing, likely having been eaten or ripped off as well.

The woman neared the carcass to see that it was mostly frozen. Upon closer inspection, she found that the bite marks on the animal were not from a bear or wolf. They were too small. There were a large amount of gashes on it neck, like something had viciously clawed at it. As she peered closer at the flesh, clouds covered the moon. What little illumination she had now was not enough to see by. The Dragonborn raised one hand and cast a Candlelight spell when she heard something behind her. The conjured ball of light floated above her as she reacted. Pivoting around, the warrior readied her blade as a growl erupted from whatever crept up on her. It was animalistic, almost draconic in sound. The warrior paused in shock at the source of the sound, her spell allowing her to see the shape of what lurked in the darkness.

There was what looked to be a man in the shadows of a nearby cliff. He must have easily snuck up on her as she was distracted. The woman couldn't see him properly as he was too far for her light spell to properly illuminate. The man was crouched low and began moving forward in a slow and predatory manner, using his hands to move on the ground as well. As he got closer the warrior could see more of him.

The Dragonborn was pretty sure it was a man now. A tall, black-haired one, had he been standing upright. He wore unidentifiable tattered clothing, which were stained with either blood or dirt. Her light spell allowed her to see but her vision was still not too great in the dark. The exposed skin the woman could discern was pale, likely this man was a Nord or another race of Man. His very sharp and white teeth, reflecting a little bit of the light, were bared in a snarl. The warrior wondered how this unkempt man was not cold. She could not make out the eyes or the rest of his face as the man's hair fell over and obscured them from her.

"Who are you?" The Dragonborn asked sharply but her question was met with no answer, just another growl. Could this man talk? Or was he feral? The latter seemed likely, at his behavior and position. The warrior had found the culprit of the boar killing, she thought. It seemed like the Nord had been right when he said he saw a man. The warrior gripped her sword tighter and readied herself in case she needed to fight. She hoped she wouldn't have to though.

The feral man growled again, as if warning her away from his kill. Unsure of what to do for the moment, the Dragonborn did just that. She did not want to attack just yet. The woman took small half-steps back until she no longer blocked the path to the boar. As she backed away, the male inched closer to the dead animal. Even though she could not see them, the woman knew he was keeping his eyes on her.

It was strange though. The Dragonborn felt like she should know this man. There was some sort of faint energy, an aura of some sort, that she could feel emanating from him. This must have been what she sensed on her path here. But why?

Whatever feeling the woman had was similar, but also different, to when she was near a Word Wall. With unease, the warrior was suddenly reminded of Miraak. The Dragon Priest had been able to tell instantly that she had been a Dragonborn when she first arrived to Apocrypha. The Last Dragonborn had not been able to do the same but she had felt a faint something whenever Miraak appeared to take a dragon soul from her and when she fought him.

The energy the warrior felt from the feral male was similar to Miraak's but more… Hollow? Though she did not think the man before her was Miraak, or even a Dragonborn, it did seem like this feral man was connected to the Thu'um in some way. This made the the Dragonborn more wary. Could this be some sort of trick from Hermaeus Mora? Maybe he was one of the Daedra's unfortunate followers who had gone mad from seeking his knowledge? The woman vowed to find out.

The Dragonborn stopped moving as the black-haired man reached and began to inspect the carcass. He sniffed the cold body and rumbled deep in his throat. The sound was not human-like at all. The feral male then turned to her and snarled loudly, but again, did not say a word. He turned away from her then and stood on two legs, though he was slightly hunched. The man grabbed the boar by its hind leg and began to pull it away from her. The warrior could tell he was strong as the boar moved easily..

The Dragonborn decided her course of action as her Candlelight spell began to disperse and the clouds began to reveal the moon.

"Stop!" The Dragonborn's voice startled the male and she began to walk forward with her sword raised. She would learn now if this man was truly feral or not. She would try not to hurt him and use the flat of her blade, if she needed to fight.

The male jerked and faced her, his hair shifting so the moonlight illuminated his face. The Dragonborn stopped a few feet away from him, her eyes widening in surprise at what she saw. His face… There was dirt, or maybe dried blood on his face. But that was not all. There were dark green scales on the man's cheek and neck, only on the left side. Just as surprising was the fact that his eyes, narrowed in anger and suspicion, were pitch black.

Focusing on him, the woman noticed one of the feral man's hands was not normal either as he let go of the boar and raised his arms in a defensive gesture. There were short black talons tipping each finger of his left. Another patch of scales covered part of the same forearm. The male lowered his head and bared his teeth again at the Dragonborn's sudden nearness to him and his kill.

As the woman stared into the man's angry eyes, the Dragonborn felt his aura more clearly. She was both surprised and alarmed to find that she now knew without a doubt who this man was. Part of her recognized him now. It shouldn't be possible but taking in the man's height, build, and the fact that she could feel a similar power, this could only be First Dragonborn.

" _Miraak_?" The woman uttered in shock.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to be a different kind of story than what I've been writing in this fandom. It likely going to have some more issues than normal and might not be as appealing to readers, but I'm still going to write it regardless. ;p
> 
> Constructive criticism is always welcome! Thank you. :)


	2. Chapter 2

The Last Dragonborn's voice seemed to have startled the former Dragon Priest. He tensed and when the female neared, he cautiously backed away. As the Dragonborn tried to reach for him, Miraak turned around and pushed himself onto his feet. He fled.

"Wait!" The Dragonborn didn't know what she wanted. How was Miraak back? And why was he in such a condition? The Miraak she knew would be far too prideful wear such rags and eat like some wild animal.

The Dragonborn gave chase but Miraak was faster. She carried her pack, weapons and donned a set of armor while he did not. He was running towards the forest. If the man was able to reach it then he would be harder to find. The warrior needed to capture him now and figure out what the hell was going on.

_Wuld Nah Kest_

The warrior Shouted and within moments, she was right beside the fleeing form of Miraak. His black eyes widened as she tackled him into the ground. The snow cushioned their fall. She rolled around until she stopped their momentum to pin the man below her. He was on his back, face first in the snow.

Miraak snarled and struggled to free himself and the Last Dragonborn had trouble keeping him down. She used her body weight with her heavy armor to pin his torso to the ground and then kept one hand on the back of his neck to force his head down. She noticed his hair was long and unkempt. He tried to turn around but she kept him in place. As the warrior braced one hand on the ground, he stretched his neck forward and snapped at her fingers. Startled, she pulled her hand away and placed it farther away from the reach of his mouth. Again, the man tried to move but he was in no position to do much.

"Miraak." The woman called out his name. No response but a small growl and more struggling.

"Miraak!" Nothing but the same.

Maybe she was wrong? Maybe this was just a strange, mad man that she was mistaking for her former rival?

"Can you talk?" It looked like Miraak couldn't. Or was pretending he couldn't. But what reason could there be for something like that?

"Do you understand me? How are you alive?" It was like the man didn't understand her. He showed no indication that he did.

Shifting her weight, the Dragonborn tried to be careful in her movements to roll him over. She wanted to see his face as she attempted to get him to speak. She also did not want to give him a chance to escape. But as she moved, Miraak bucked and unbalanced her enough to fall off of him. With her weight gone, the man thrashed until the female Dragonborn was forced to let go as well.

In several moments he had sprinted into the trees and was gone from sight.

* * *

That night, the Last Dragonborn debated on the actions she should take. She was sure the man she had encountered was Miraak. Something in her recognized him. And Miraak, in whatever state he was in, could not be left alone. What if he regained his senses? The woman doubted the former Dragon Priest was faking his new persona. Though she only knew him a short while, the woman knew Miraak would never allow himself to act like that. Something was very wrong. It probably had something to do with however he had reappeared on Nirn.

The female Dragonborn knew she would need to find Hermaeus former Champion and kill him. It felt wrong though. What kind of fate was this for a Dragonborn? Somehow turned feral and now about to be cut down like an animal?

Maybe capturing Miraak would be a better idea? But then what would she do with him? Again, what if he regained his senses?

Sighing, the Last Dragonborn slept little that night.

* * *

It took several days to track Miraak again. At first she had waited by his kill but he did not come back for it that day. The Dragonborn looked for his tracks in the snow as he did not seem to be able to reason enough to hide them. After figuring out which ones were his, she set about searching.

Miraak's instincts were more animal-like and he fled when she saw him next. The odd sensation she would experience when he was close helped her locate him. The female warrior found him stalking a deer. He had slowly been approaching it, low on the ground, when she tripped on a rock and fell as she kept her eyes on him and not the ground before her. The deer fled at the sound and so did Miraak when he noticed her. With no other option, the warrior used a dragon Shout.

_Gol Hah Dov_

The Shout hit Miraak's fleeing form. For an instant, the man stopped. The woman thought the Shout had worked but a moment later he shook himself and continued. It looked like just like before, Dragonborn could not be affected by the Bend Will Shout. She could have used another Shout like Unrelenting Force but she didn't want to hurt him, yet.

The Dragonborn cursed in frustration as Miraak escaped again, slamming her fist in the snowy ground. It was then she heard the distinctive roar of a Dragon.

Damn her luck.

* * *

"Gods damn it!" The woman yelled as she jumped out of the way of a near fatal bite. Her opponent was an ancient dragon, a type of dragon whose power neared Alduin's own. She was having trouble with it as the snow covered ground made it hard to maneuver.

The warrior lunged underneath the grounded dragon and her sword plunged deep into the dragon's underbelly. It screamed in rage and took flight once more, it wings forcing the Dragonborn away.

The dragon circled around her once before hovering over the ground. It sent a blast of frosty breath in her direction and she tried to dodge it. She mostly succeeded, though she felt the chill of the attack sapping her of her stamina.

_Mul Qah Div_

The Shout conjured the Dragon Aspect armor and gave her extra strength. There was an odd pulling sensation this time when she used the shout but the Dragonborn ignored it. She had been planning on using it later but she just wanted to get this fight over with now. She switched weapons to her bow and shot several arrows at the dragon. It roared at her and circled to try and dodge them. The Dragonborn kept firing until many arrows found their mark.

Her opponent dropped to the ground once more and sent another wave of frost at her. It hit her head on and she grunted in pain but endured the hit to switch weapons and rush towards the Dragon.

The female warrior paused momentarily when she felt the familiar… Connection. Miraak was nearby. She couldn't deal with him right now and focused on the dragon. The woman charged and rolled out of the way of another bite. She slashed at the dragon's flank and wing as it tried to turn towards her. The warrior moved around so that it couldn't face her.

The dragon quickly tired of her tactic and used it wings to buffet her away. The blow from such a large creature sent her flying back, where the dragon then lunged at her, crawling on its wings and legs.

_Fus Ro Dah_

The shout stopped the dragon only momentarily as the Dragonborn grabbed her weapon up off the ground. It sent another frost breath at her and took to the air. Once again the Dragonborn switched to her bow as she endured the hit.

Finally after another round of arrows, the dragon's wings gave out. Her arrows had tore through them. Unluckily for her, the dragon lost its flight right above her. She was too stunned to move as the bulk of the dragon sped towards her. In almost the last moment, she felt something crash into her and force her out of the way of the dragon.

She hit the ground hard and groaned in pain as the weight of another creature was on top. The ground shuddered with the sound of the dragon hitting it. Bones crunched and the dragon gasped once before it stopped moving.

When the Dragonborn recovered and the weight moved off of her, she turned her head to see that her savior.

It was Miraak.

* * *

She lay stunned on the ground as Miraak sat down nearby. The Shouted armor disappeared and as she shifted over on her back. The former Dragon Priest stared in fascination at the colorful display of the dragon's soul entering the woman's body. His black eyes never left her once he saw where the Dragon's soul had gone. He then tilted his head in curiousity and then pressed his taloned, and dirty hand to her chest, over her heart.

Again, the female Dragonborn felt some sort of jolt. There was a pull from somewhere inside her. Miraak seemed to feel something as well. He snarled but quickly quieted when the Dragonborn shifted away in fright. His eyes seemed more... Aware when he looked at her this time. Like he was listening.

"Stay there." She commanded and Miraak seemed to understand. He did not move and watched her with those ebon eyes of his. The man made no move when the Dragonborn began to heal herself, when she rose or when she picked up her weapon. His eyes focused on the metal when she brought it close to him.

"Miraak." When she spoke, Miraak turned to face her. There seemed to be something more in his gaze than there was that first night she saw him. There was no flinch when the Dragonborn's blade moved closer to him. She placed the tip of her blade against his heart, lightly.

"Say something." The Dragonborn asked. But Miraak said nothing. He stared into her eyes, with no recollection, no anger, no maliciousness or understanding. It wasn't right.

"Anything!" The warrior yelled this time. Miraak growled, his eyes narrowing at her but no words were voiced.

She should kill him… He was dangerous and could be a threat in the future. But to see Miraak like this caused the Dragonborn to feel pity. She did not want to kill him if he was like this, so… Unaware. Did he remember who he was? Did he remember what he had done? If not, did he deserve to die?

The Dragonborn realized she did not want to kill him like this.

… So she didn't.


	3. Chapter 3

"Just what am I supposed to do with you?" The Dragonborn wondered aloud as she watched Miraak. He hadn't run away after she moved her blade away from his chest. The man seemed content with sitting in the snow, like she was doing now. The fight with the Dragon exhausted the warrior and resting for a bit didn't seem like a bad idea.

Miraak's attention was on the Dragon's skeletal remains but he looked back at the woman occasionally as if he was trying to figure something out. He didn't seem eager to leave any time soon. While she watched her former enemy, the Dragonborn tried to think of what she should do in this situation. But she was drawing a blank. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

The warrior was not sure what Miraak was thinking, staring at the bones while looking over at her in curiosity occasionally. She was curious herself how Miraak was not cold. The clothing and boots he wore were tattered and didn't look very warm in their state. Maybe he had some sort of natural resistance?

The woman closed her eyes and sighed, frustrated with her lack of bright ideas. She was startled when Miraak huffed a loud breath. She opened her eyes to see him begin to move. He glanced at her before getting up and walking away. He walked hunched over a little, like he wasn't used to standing upright. The Dragonborn jumped up and followed, worried about letting the man leave her sight.

"Wait!" The warrior shouted, not caring that Miraak probably didn't understand her. He didn't wait, ignoring her while continuing to walk. She tried again. "Miraak, wait!"

Surprisingly, this time Miraak stilled at her voice. Was it because she called his name? He looked back at her until she caught up to him. When she neared, he let out a small growl and turned away to begin to walking once more. Not knowing what else to do, the warrior followed behind, wary for anything. She did not know if Miraak would turn on her. He had saved her from some serious injuries but Miraak was almost wild in his current state. Did he even understand what he'd done? Or was it some sort of impulse for him, thanks to that odd connection she could still feel?

Part way into their journey, the man stopped and the Dragonborn saw that his hands were glowing. It was then she realized how Miraak had not frozen to death. His magic. It looked like he was using a flame spell and healing spell to warm and heal his body. If he had retained all of his magicka, Miraak would have plenty to use to keep himself alive out in the cold. After a few minutes of using his magic, Miraak began to move again.

Half an hour passed, with the two traveling in silence, before Miraak neared a cave opening at the base of a cliff and disappeared inside. During the trip, the man had traveled on all fours several times before switching back to walking, hunched over slightly like before. The action had looked unnatural but Miraak seemed to have learned to travel on fours relatively well.

Hesitantly, the Dragonborn followed Miraak inside the cave, after debating the decision and then unsheathing her blade. The icy cave wasn't too dark and the woman found that could still see well enough without a light. She carefully tread past a few curves and corners and found herself at a small campsite. Well, the remains of one.

There were skeletons strewn about of long since deceased men. The warrior counted five corpses, with nothing left but their bones and a few pieces of clothing. Reikling spears lay scattered with several lodged in the bones of whatever Men or Mer had been killed here. In a corner there lay a pile of logs and broken branches. A shallow pit with partially burned branches and bits of clothing had been made near a pile of furs. There were also several animal carcasses, almost entirely eaten, frozen in the corner. One carcass was charred black, like someone had tried to roast the thing whole. Had Miraak tried and failed at cooking it?

This must be Miraak's home, the Dragonborn thought. The man in question gave the woman a soft growl and then an almost dismissive glance when he saw her. He had paid little attention to her while she followed him.

The former Dragon Priest turned away from the woman and yawned, walking to the fire pit. The Dragonborn watched him as he spent several minutes tossing logs and branches in the pit and then attempted to light a fire with his magic. He snarled when the fire didn't take the first few times but then it did on the fourth attempt. Miraak then moved to the pile of furs nearby. He yawned once more, his sharp teeth flashing and lay down, moving the furs around until he was almost entirely covered. He seemed at ease, not caring that there was an intruder in his home. The intruder just stared at him in bewilderment.

As Miraak fell asleep, the Dragonborn moved towards the fire. She carefully sat down beside the flames, keeping an eye on the resting male in case he tried anything. The fire was a small blessing and it warmed her up. Eventually the woman lost herself in her thoughts.

It seemed like Miraak wasn't entirely bestial. He retained some fragments of intelligence here and there. He knew how to use magic and make things. If what she spied in the other corner was really a bathroom pit, then it looked like he knew to relieve himself properly and not in his clothes. Likely he would know how to dress himself as well then.

The Dragonborn still didn't want to kill Miraak but she knew she couldn't just leave him. It was too risky. But what could she do? Her mind wandered thought possible solutions until she found one that might work.

… What if she took Miraak back to Skyrim? Sending him to a place for the mentally ill might be best. Preferably one nearby so the woman could check up on him now and then. Someone would take care of him and she wouldn't feel any guilt for killing or leaving him. The warrior would just have to find a suitable place that could monitor the First Dragonborn and make sure to contain or kill him if he ever regained his senses.

But where could she find such a place? It would take time. And where could she leave Miraak until then? The woman felt she couldn't keep him caged or chained up. That was cruel for someone who didn't even remember or understand what he did wrong.

The Dragonborn thought about her manor. She could lock him in a room there. It would be better than a prison, chains or a cage. The warrior would be able to keep an eye on the First Dragonborn until she found a suitable place to house him. It would be troublesome but she did not want to leave Miraak to his fate here. No doubt he would get sick or killed by wildlife or other Men or Mer eventually. The chance was minimal but if anyone did somehow recognize the former Dragon Priest, he would for sure be hunted down and killed.

As a fellow Dragonborn, the woman felt Miraak deserved some help in his situation. And maybe helping him would relieve the warrior of the guilt she felt in killing him, even though it looked like he hadn't stayed dead. Part of her now felt responsible for his current state.

* * *

Surprisingly, it didn't take too long to get Miraak to follow her. When he had woken hours later, the woman tried the first thing she could think of. She forced herself to grip Miraak's arm and gently pull him along with her, hoping she could get him to follow her. She wrinkled her nose at the smell the man gave off and tried her best to ignore it. She realized he probably hadn't showered in some time. The smell hadn't been noticeable out in the open but it was in here.

Miraak did not like the touch and proximity of the woman before him, and being pulled less. He gave the intruder a warning growl and stern glare. When she became a little more forceful with the pulling, he snarled and broke away from her grip, sending shivers down the Dragonborn's spine. No human should be make that sound, she thought.

Miraak's narrowed eyes followed the female warrior as she backed away. Remembering how he reacted to his name being called, the Dragonborn tried saying it out loud.

"Miraak?" Like before, his attention would focus on her when she said his name. She called him again, feeling a small jolt of _something_ when Miraak's gaze locked with her own. The woman began to walk away, hoping he would follow. He did.

Once outside, he looked back at the cave. He stepped back towards it and the woman called him again. He shook his head and turned away from the entrance to his home.

* * *

The former Dragon Priest's being behind her made the Dragonborn uncomfortable on the slow trip back to Raven Rock. It was slow because Miraak seemed to be in no hurry and liked to wander or stop to investigate things along the way. He halted at a broken, roofless house once, searching the inside and picking up anything that caught his fancy. He wasn't careful with the fragile items he touched, breaking several as he dropped them on the floor after he finished examining them. The woman called him several times before gently grabbing and tugging him, finally getting Miraak to leave. He glared at her but didn't pull away from her touch immediately this time.

The Dragonborn realized she would need to teach Miraak to listen to her, if she was ever going to get him off the island and back to Skyrim. She felt it would be close to impossible but she could not let him act the way he was in the town. With that in mind, the woman turned to Miraak, intent on getting him to act a little less like a beast.

Miraak would in fact listen to her if the Dragonborn tried hard enough. She just had to control her frustration when she tried to get him to do it. The man seemed to be able to understand words and phrases if they were repeated often. It took more than a few tries for Miraak to listen to her simple commands but it was worth it.

The warrior knew she probably looked like a lunatic continuously repeating things to her former enemy, gesturing and showing him what he should do. Miraak hadn't enjoyed her touching him often, trying to guide him in what she wanted of him. The woman hadn't enjoyed it either but she had no choice.

* * *

Thankfully Miraak hadn't tried attacking her, however he vocalized his displeasure several times. Eventually, he learned to wait or follow her when she ordered him to. Guiltily the Last Dragonborn compared training Miraak to a training a dog, though Miraak seemed to be learning far quicker.

Thankfully it was close to sunset when the two Dragonborn neared Raven Rock. The woman set up camp half an hour away to prepare. She needed to clean Miraak up before she could take him into the city. He would be a sight, if he went looking as he did now, dirty, wearing tattered clothing, his scales and claws visible.

"Come here." The warrior motioned for the man to do so. Miraak obeyed and walked towards her. Swiftly, the woman pushed Miraak down when he was close enough. The man growled at suddenness of it all but stayed in a sitting position.

Looking at Miraak under the light of the setting sun, the Dragonborn wearily decided she had a lot of work to do. First of all he needed to be cleaned up. Then he needed some clothes, preferably ones that covered his face. All the Dragonborn had on her was her cloak but it would have to do. She soaked a cloth in water from her canteen and vigorously began scrubbing the dirt from Miraak's face. She couldn't bathe him but removing some of the mess covering his exposed skin might make him smell a little less.

Miraak snarled at the woman, not liking her actions one bit, and tried to move away. The Dragonborn firmly gripped the back of his head to prevent this, feeling disgust at the greasiness of his hair. She just wanted to get this done as soon as possible so she could get back home. She had developed a severe headache thanks to the frustration of dealing with teaching Miraak.

"Stay still!" The woman ordered but Miraak's response was to kick her in the stomach and lunge away. She grunted in surprise, but the armor she wore took the hit. It was probably a bad idea but the Dragonborn instinctively grasped his leg and pulled him back. Miraak hit the ground face first and lay there dazed for a moment. He then rolled over and lunged at her. In surprise, the warrior was not able to react and hit the ground hard as Miraak tackled her down.

His furious, narrowed and pitch black eyes bored into her own as he leaned over her. His hands were pressing her shoulders down hard. Thankfully, her armor kept her safe from his left, taloned hand. Miraak lowered his head to her neck with a low snarl, unkempt hair falling around. The woman could smell the stink of blood, sweat and dirt on the man. His breath stank even worse than his body had. Heart thudding in her chest as the man could have easily ripped open her throat right now, the female Dragonborn spoke calmly and firmly.

" _Get. Off._ " The words had no effect at first. He hissed angrily but did not move or do anything else. Staying calm, the Dragonborn slowly raised her hands to grasp his wrists. He narrowed his eyes further at the touch. The woman repeated her words twice before Miraak finally listened and allowed the woman below him to move his hands away. He quickly moved off of her when she pushed him and sat down a few paces away, glaring at her. Thankfully he didn't try to leave.

Slowly, the Dragonborn reached out a hand to the man, testing his reaction. He tensed but allowed her hand touch him briefly before he moved away. Killing him entered the warrior's mind again, thinking he could be dangerous but she shook the thought. If he tried to seriously harm her or anyone else, she would end him then. Until then, she would give him a chance. He was just… Untrained.

* * *

It looked Miraak didn't trust her enough to let her touch him for long. The little bit of trust she had built up with him had been shattered by her actions. The woman knew she would have to get him to trust her again so could clean and dress him. There was no way she could bring the insane, bestial man into the city as he was.

It took almost an hour before Miraak stopped being so skittish with female Dragonborn. The woman had first tried calling his name, gently trying to clean him when she was able to get close and distracting him with some of the random, useless junk she carried in her bag. These things had been a little effective but what had eventually worked was food. The warrior ended up bribing Miraak with food to get him to like her again.

At first, the man spat out the dry, tasteless jerky and refused to try the somewhat fresh vegetables she carried with her but he had shown interest in her sweet rolls. The Dragonborn had a little bit of a weakness for the treat and usually carried one or two with her. Miraak sniffed them curiously before taking a small bite of the baked good. The taste had his eyes widening and he devoured the rest, leaving stickiness on his mouth and hands, which he then licked off. He looked at her then and his eyes had almost implored her for another, which the woman handed over a bit reluctantly. She had been saving those.

After getting the treats, Miraak was less wary of the woman. The Dragonborn was able to carefully clean Miraak's face, hands and neck as he allowed her near. He still didn't like what she was doing but he didn't try to pull away this time. The woman noticed Miraak's eyes had some flecks of white in them still but they were hard to see unless you were up close.

After cleaning him, the woman attempted to dress him. She pulled off the gloves she wore beneath her gauntlets and tried to put them on him. Though the gloves were a little loose on her, they were almost too small on Miraak. The man did not like them at all, as they felt restricting, and pulled them off. Sighing, the Dragonborn just put them back on and prevented Miraak from removing them every time he tried. Miraak growled but didn't take them off after the fifth failed attempt at removing them. He then just stared at them and flexed his hands, not used to having such a thing on them.

Her cloak was easier to put on but Miraak kept trying to rip off the hood when she would lower it to cover his face. Again, she repeatedly put it back or prevented Miraak from removing it until he stopped trying.

During all this Dragonborn felt pity for Miraak. There was nothing of her former enemy left in this man. Even though Miraak would be trouble and she was already angry and frustrated with him, the woman vowed to help him as much as she could.

Knowing she did her best, the Dragonborn packed up camp. She called Miraak's name and together they headed into the city. The first thing they needed to do was find Jurgik. She still needed that damned book that had gotten her into this mess. She heard the man was usually in the Retching Netch before sunset so she prayed he would be there tonight.

* * *

Somehow the Dragonborn was able to get through the town with Miraak without attracting too much attention. She was nervous and kept an arm on her companion to prevent him from wandering off. It was good she did, Miraak was fairly curious about everything around him and the woman had to keep calling his name and ordering him to follow her. He would reluctantly.

It was hard trying to keep Miraak on two feet. He kept trying to go on all four but the Dragonborn pulled him back up when he tried. She got a few stares from passers by when Miraak snarled at her but she ignored them.

The Dragonborn noticed Miraak was skittish around other people. He actively tried to avoid the townspeople, which was good for both of them. There were a few brief incidents when someone got too close. When questioned about Miraak's odd tendencies to growl or act out of the ordinary, she just quickly explained that he was drunk and left with the man as quickly as she could.

The only time the Dragonborn was truly worried was when she had to leave Miraak alone for several minutes while she talked to Jurgik. She left him in a secluded spot outside the Retching Netch and quickly entered. She got the book and almost bolted outside, sighing in relief when Miraak was where she left him.

After that, the woman took his arm and they went to the docks. Paying the captain, she quickly hurried Miraak away from the workers and sat him down. He kept trying to break away from her hold but she would hiss at him to stop and eventually, he settled down.

He panicked a little when the boat began to leave the docks but the Dragonborn gripped his arm tight to prevent him escaping. He let out a deep, low growl but settled soon after that. The man stayed still and stared in the direction of Solstheim, even long after it had disappeared from view. It was unnerving.

* * *

Miraak had lunged the stable hand as soon as he saw him. The Dark Elf hadn't even done anything but Miraak charged at him for no reason. The Dragonborn kept away from people as she disembarked the boat but she needed a ride back home. The only way to do that was to go past the stables, where Miraak had encountered the Elf.

The Dragonborn had reacted fast and grabbed one of Miraak's arms and pulled him back. She pushed his head down and kept her other hand on the back of his neck, keeping him from going after the stable hand again. Miraak tried to break free, snarling and growling like a beast, even trying to bite her, until the Dragonborn angrily called out his name and commanded him to stop several times. Then he glared at the Elf and rumbled his displeasure. The stable hand gaped at them both, not understanding what the hell was going on.

After several embarrassed apologies and the explanation that Miraak was addled in the head, the man let them go without calling the guards. She angrily grabbed the former Dragon Priest and jerked him along to the carriage, thankful the hood and gloves had stayed on in the scuffle. Miraak didn't snap at her this time, too intent on baring his teeth at the man quickly fading from sight. He jerked himself out of her grip when he lost sight of the stable hand.

The woman would not allow that and grabbed his arm again in a tight hold. She heard the carriage driver ask her where she would like to go and she barked out her destination, grabbing a pile of coins from her pouch with her free hand and handing them over. The driver took them hesitantly even though it was more than he would have asked for, nervous towards the visibly angry woman and the strange man with her.

"Climb in-" The driver began but was not able to finish.

"I got it." The woman interrupted and left to board his carriage with the man in tow. She knew she was being rude but she was both angry and exhausted. The Dragonborn had given the man a fairly generous tip so she didn't feel as bad as she would have. Settling in the back, the woman took a few deep breaths, calming herself down. The situation with the Dark Elf had been both frustrating and embarrassing but there was no point in staying angry about it. Miraak seemed to have gotten over it already, she noticed. He was watching the scenery go by as the carriage began to move.

The Dragonborn once again kept an arm on Miraak for the duration of their trip. She could hear his stomach growling but the woman didn't have any more sweet rolls. She already knew the man wasn't interested in anything else in her bag.

The ride was almost without incident. Miraak attempted try to jump out of the carriage when he saw a deer but had been prevented from doing so. His stomach had rumbled loudly after seeing the the animal, so she knew that he had done it because he was hungry. She felt bad but there was nothing she could do for now.

The woman was relieved when the carriage finally stopped. She had arrived home.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tried my best on this chapter but I'm not too happy with it. I'm going to go ahead and post it and just continue with the story. I'll never finish it otherwise. ;p
> 
> Thank you so much for the kudos!


	4. Chapter 4

“Come on Miraak.” The Dragonborn pulled Miraak along as she walked up the path to the door of her manor. A cow munched on grass off to the side of the building and several chickens clucked and squawked at one another. The woman was glad the animals were okay. Last time she came back, she had arrived just in time to save the animals from a pack of wolves. Though the Dragonborn liked the seclusion here, she did not enjoy having to defend her home from animals, giants, bandits and whatever else decided to ruin her day. Miraak tried to lunge at one of the birds when he noticed them but the woman’s hold prevented him.

 

“You can have something to eat inside. Don’t you dare touch my chickens!” The woman chided but knew Miraak likely had not understood. His second attempt at breaking free of her hold proved that. She heard his stomach growl again and pulled him to the door faster. 

 

The manor the female warrior now owned had been very expensive. It had taken so much time and hard work to be able to afford this place but it had been worth it. It was comfy, spacious and the Dragonborn could actually fit all of her junk inside it without issues. She was quite a hoarder.

 

The Dragonborn unlocked the door, keeping an eye her new guest as she took her hand off of him for a few moments. He didn’t move or run away, which was good. He didn’t seem to mind as much when she took a hold of him, which was even better.  The tired warrior pushed open the door and grabbed Miraak again. Once both of them were inside, the woman dropped her pack on the floor and began removing her armor. She couldn’t wait to get it off. She was exhausted, sweaty and filthy, though probably not as filthy as Miraak. She had gotten sort of used to his stink but knew he needed a bath, badly. 

 

The Dragonborn dropped her armor on the ground after getting out of it. She looked over to Miraak to see that he was doing. The man had stayed where he was, his eyes traveling across the inside of the manor, taking in the strangeness. He had likely never seen something like this before. Miraak took a few more steps into the house when he froze. He heard a sound.

 

Footsteps approached and a Bosmer male came into view from a doorway leading to the kitchen. Miraak instantly tensed and the female Dragonborn could hear a faint growl emerging from his throat.

 

“Welcome back.” Silvan, her steward, greeted. He stopped at the sight of the unfamiliar, cloaked man in the house. The Bosmer frowned, never really liking any of the males his employer brought in with her, but let it go. He had no right to tell the Dragonborn that he thought most of her guests were troublesome thugs. The Mer’s eyes widened when the cloaked man took a step towards him and growled. It was a deep, low sound that made him shudder in fright. He stepped back.

 

“Don’t be alarmed, Silvan. This is Miraak. He’s going to be staying with us for a while.” The woman placed a hand on Miraak’s shoulder but he just snarled and shook it off. The former Dragon Priest’s eyes were focused on the Bosmer, seeing him as a threat. The Dragonborn gripped Miraak’s arm then, not allowing him to shake her off. She would not allow Miraak to attack her steward.

 

“Stop it, Miraak.” The warrior hissed at her former enemy. He jerked his head angrily towards her but stopped his audible threat.

 

“Is there... Is he alright?” Silvan asked as he watched the exchange. He wanted to ask if there was something wrong with the newcomer but that would not be polite. He already felt like this  _ Miraak _ was going to be trouble.

 

“Actually... Yes. Quite a few things in fact. I don’t think he can talk for one. He also acts more like an animal than a human.” The Dragonborn admitted almost sheepishly, to her steward's growing horror. “I’ll explain everything I can later but I’ll need your help with him.”

 

“Of... Course.” Silvan wondered what he had gotten himself into. His employer was an odd woman and finding some homeless nutcase to take in would not be entirely uncharacteristic of her.

 

“There’s also one more thing you should see.” The Dragonborn hesitantly removed her cloak from Miraak and Silvan gasped. The first thing he noticed was the newcomer’s face and the unnaturalness of it.

 

“Are those… Scales? His eyes… Why is he in such a state?” The Bosmer asked in shock. Why were this man’s eyes so dark? They were so empty, like a void. And he was dressed in tattered rags. Miraak continued to angrily stare at Silvan but the Dragonborn’s hold seemed to keep him from doing anything.

 

“It's a long story, Silvan. Just know that for now he will be staying with us.”

 

“I will... Prepare a room for him then.” Silvan began hesitantly, unnerved by the man’s strange eyes that did not look away from him. He looked like he would attack him at any moment, like some wild animal. “But is this wise?”

 

“To be honest, I have no idea... We’ll see.” The Dragonborn truly hoped she wouldn't be regretting the decision to bring Miraak in. “Could you prepare a bath instead, Silvan? He’s dirtier than a Skeever right now.”

 

* * *

 

The bath was interesting. The Dragonborn did not want to bathe Miraak alone and asked her steward for help. The Bosmer had no choice but to accept. It was his duty to help his employer after all. He left to the bathing chamber while the female Dragonborn began to coax Miraak into following her.

 

By the time the wild man had entered the bathing chamber, the water inside a large tub was ready and heated. Knowing his clothes would be thrown out anyway, the Dragonborn just ended up swiftly cutting them off with a dagger. Miraak snarled at the act but shut up when the woman pushed him into the tub. He thrashed after he landed inside, spilling water over the side, but stopped when he realized the water was comfortably warm. Both the steward and the Dragonborn cringed at the stink emanating from the bewildered man now sitting in the water. Thankfully, Miraak seemed to understand that he needed to bathe or maybe he just liked the warm water, something he had probably never experienced in Solstheim. He settled in the water and sighed, likely in contentment.

 

Knowing that just soaking in the water wouldn’t be enough to clean him, Silvan reluctantly grabbed the soap while the Dragonborn grabbed, then held Miraak still. The feral man did not like what was happening and ended up sending water all over the place as he thrashed to break free from the woman’s grip, but it was in vain. Miraak flailed and snarled, ending up slashing the Dragonborn with his talons, who winced in pain, but did not release her grip. Miraak stopped his movements to stare at the bleeding wound for several long moments. The woman took the chance to get a better grip on him as the bath continued.

 

The female Dragonborn and her steward found that the patch of scales on Miraak’s skin was larger than they first thought. From the patch on his face the scales ran down his left shoulder and then halfway down his back. There were also many scars all over the former Dragon Priest’s body, though none looked like they came from a sword or other weapon. Miraak had probably received them from living in the wild on Solstheim. The woman thought she recognized one scar on his back having been from a bear’s claws.

 

After the bath, the Dragonborn was unable to dry off the visibly and audibly irritated Miraak. He refused to get out of the now dirty water, snarling at the female warrior’s attempts to coax him out. The woman healed her arm and then carefully opened the cover from a pipe on the bottom of the tub, allowing the water to drain. She then filled and emptied several, cooler buckets of water over Miraak to make sure all the filthy water was off of him. Without the tub full of water keeping him warm, the man began to shiver and scrambled out of it himself, keeping away from the other two occupants in the room. The Dragonborn noted he didn’t seem mad as she thought he would be.

 

The Dragonborn was dreading dressing him but did not end up having to do much. Miraak knew how to dress, though it did take a lot longer than it should have. He grabbed the clothing, which Silvan had fetched from the Dragonborn’s hoard of things she collected and would never use, from the female warrior’s hands and inspected them first before putting them on himself. The shirt ending up backwards but neither the Bosmer nor the Dragonborn felt like trying to fight with Miraak to fix it.

 

The female Dragonborn was relived the bath went well and Miraak no longer stank. He was much cleaner than before and looked far more civilized. The woman knew she would need to do something about his nails, especially those on his left hand, and his unkempt hair but she would deal with that another time. Maybe Miraak’s temperament would be better after a meal as well. She looked over to her Steward to see that he was frowning.

 

There were many horrible things Silvan had to do in life but he felt bathing this nutcase was one of the worst. He shuddered at the thought of having to do this again. The Bosmer felt his hands would never be clean again after touching Miraak. His hair had been the worst, dirty and greasy. Thank god there had been no lice he could see. 

 

Silvan wished his employer had left the filthy man wherever she got him from. He forced his anger and disgust down, knowing that was not proper for a man in his position.  _ Miraak _ would not stay long, he hoped. He could deal with this new situation for a little while.

 

Miraak growled at Silvan, guided by the Dragonborn as she led him to the dining room. The woman gave the Bosmer a grateful smile and a ‘thank you’ as they passed. He nodded to her and followed them both at some distance. Silvan watched as the Dragonborn pulled Miraak along into dining room and then pressed him onto a chair at the table. The former Dragon Priest looked at everything around the room from his seat. He made a small sound as he tried to make sense of where he was. It sounded like the strangeness of his situation was getting to him.

 

“Stay here Miraak.” The woman said before taking a few steps back and then waiting to see his reaction. Miraak noticed the woman leaving and immediately got up to follow. He did not feel comfortable this new place.

 

“No.” She pressed him onto the chair again. “Sit and stay here.” 

 

It took another few tries before Miraak finally stayed in his seat while the Dragonborn went into the kitchen. Silvan had no time to make anything as the woman had needed his help but that was alright. She found a loaf of bread, some cured meat, a plate, a cup and filled a pitcher of water before coming back. Miraak was hungry and so was she, but she could wait. The woman placed the food on the table, away from the feral man, in case he tried to snatch it, and cut a few slices of meat and placed them on half a loaf of bread. She then placed the food on a plate and set it in front of her ‘guest’. 

 

Miraak sniffed the food and frowned. He picked up the plate in curiosity and roughly set it down again. He had likely never remembered eating this before and just looked towards the Dragonborn. 

 

“You can eat it Miraak. Like this.” The woman demonstrated by taking a bite of some of the bread and meat she had with her. She found it a bit dry as she usually liked to eat it with some cheese and a few other additions, but that was alright. The woman wanted to try and get Miraak to eat something simple for now. The man watched her chew and then returned his gaze to his own food. He brought his face close to sniff it again and then picked it up with his hands. He pressed too hard with his left and ended up impaling the bread with his talons. It didn’t look like Miraak expected the bread to be so soft.

 

After inspecting what he held one more time, Miraak finally took a large bite. He chewed slowly, frowning again, but finished the morsel. Maybe the meat was too dry or too salty for him. He hadn’t really wanted the jerky on Solstheim either. The man’s stomach growled again and so Miraak continued to eat even though he did not seem to enjoy the taste. When she placed the other half of the loaf and the rest of the meat on Miraak’s plate, the former Dragon Priest picked off the meat, tossing it on the table, and devoured the bread. 

 

The man was messy. Some of the bread had crumbled in his grip and attempts to eat and now covered the tables, floor and even himself. But at least Miraak ate and even seemed to like the bread. The woman wondered how long Miraak had been scavenging for food on Solstheim. She would need to introduce him to dishes that were not just raw meat or whatever fruits he would have been able to scavenge while he was here. After eating, Miraak gulped down the water straight from the pitcher, foregoing the glass and draining it all in one go. He let the pitcher clatter onto the ground with a loud crash after he was done. The Dragonborn winced at the sound. 

* * *

 

Now that Miraak was full, the Dragonborn guided him to his new room. The meal did seem to improve his temperament. He didn’t make a sound of displeasure at being led somewhere else. The woman had already decided one the first thing she should do is make sure Miraak would not be a threat. He needed to be kept in the manor and observed. 

 

There were many things the female Dragonborn needed to do so it would not be a waste of time to spend a week or two at home. Her stockpile of potions were getting low, her armor needed repairing and she needed to practice some of her magic, especially enchanting. To be completely honest, the Dragonborn also wanted to relax a little. Things had been getting fairly busy around the province thanks to the conflicts between the Thalmor, Stormcloaks and the Empire. They were either trying to get the Dragonborn on their side or kill her. And everyone else seemed to be asking her for help. A break from all this would be welcome.

 

The female Dragonborn and Silvan needed to change a few things in Miraak’s room before he could be allowed inside so so she called the Mer over. He had been following them the entire time and the female warrior thanked the Gods for Silvan. She didn’t think many others would have taken this situation as well as he had. The woman knew Silvan was not happy but he was willing to help out. That was admirable. She'd be paying him extra for this. 

 

It didn’t take long for the room to be prepared and to have its door adjusted to lock from the outside. The woman did not trust Miraak to not cause problems if he was let loose. Silvan and the Dragonborn removed most of the furniture in the room before they thought it suitable for its new occupant. No doubt Miraak would ruin or hurt himself on something in there. All the room was left with at the end was a bed, table, bookshelf and chair. While she and her Steward prepared the room, Miraak watched them, yawning every so often. Thankfully he was tired after his meal and didn’t seem to have the energy to cause trouble. The Dragonborn kept an eye on him, preventing him from wandering off or touching anything he shouldn’t.

 

The woman led Miraak into the room afterwards, with him following her with another yawn. She tried to get him to use the bed but it didn’t work. He just eyed the bed and pulled off the pillows and sheets to throw them onto the floor. In a few moments, he had settled himself into the makeshift bed on the ground. The Dragonborn stayed there until she was sure Miraak was asleep before leaving, locking the door behind her.

* * *

 

The Dragonborn took a bath and then explained the situation to Silvan while eating the stew he had just prepared. Silvan didn't understand why she brought one of her enemies here. The Dragonborn herself did not know how to explain herself. Miraak was an enemy, yes, but… He was not the same man any more. He needed help and as a fellow Dragonborn she could not leave him to die like an animal. 

 

Maybe, she told Silvan, she could teach Miraak to be a good, or at least non- threatening, so he could spend the rest of his days comfortable. It might not be the greatest life but he would be able to live his life free from Apocrypha and Hermaeus Mora. She had always pitied Miraak and the fate he ended up with. The Mer did not like what she was doing, the woman could tell but he agreed to help. The woman sighed in relief, grateful once again for her steward. After eating, both Silvan and the Dragonborn went to bed.

 

The Dragonborn did not take her special tea today. Just in case something happened, the woman wanted to be fully alert. The tea she drank was something she brewed herself to help her sleep at night when her thoughts, stress or nightmares became too much. After becoming the Dragonborn, she had needed this tea regularly. She did feel the need to take it tonight but knew it would not be a good idea.

 

With Miraak locked in the room, the Dragonborn settled herself into her bed. She could still feel the strange connection to the First Dragonborn and it made her slightly uneasy. She kept her weapons close by her bed and had even set a rune spell on the floor. The woman had already informed Silvan she would do this so he would know not to come into her room, which was locked anyway. She had also placed one outside of Miraak’s and Silvan’s doors. Silvan knew how to disarm them, being a decent magicka user. If Miraak stepped on them, then it would hopefully alert the female warrior and disable him enough that she could finish him off, if she needed to.

* * *

 

On the floor of his room, Miraak lay tangled in the sheets from the bed. His body twitched as he dreamed of things he did not understand. He tossed and turned in his sleep. 

  
The man had never dreamed like this until the woman came before him. Because of her presence, things inside him began to change. Miraak’s simpler mind felt the need to follow her. He did not understand it but he was drawn to the woman. When he was around her, he felt more complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woke up late at night and couldn't fall back asleep. I decided to write until I felt sleepy again so here's another chapter. ;p


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, the Dragonborn was jerked awake by the sound of something slamming against a door. The sound hadn’t come from right outside her room but from somewhere else in the house. Instantly the woman was alert, jumping out of bed in her nightclothes and snatching her sword, which was leaning against her nightstand. 

 

Forgoing her armor in her haste, the woman rushed to her door, hoping Miraak was not loose and nothing had happened to Silvan. If Miraak hurt Silvan then she would never forgive herself, as she was the one to bring the unstable man into her home. The Dragonborn cast a spell of Ebonyflesh upon herself and peeked outside her door in case there was a threat. There was no one. 

 

The warrior heard another loud sound and quickly followed it to find herself in front of Miraak’s room. As she approached the door, she heard an even louder thump. The room’s wooden door shook with the impact of something hitting it. Miraak roared animalistically then, anger evident in his cry. He hit the door once more, causing it to crack from the force of the impact. 

 

The woman couldn’t help the relief she felt when she realized Miraak had not escaped. That meant Silvan was likely okay. But now she had another problem to deal with. Miraak was trying to get out of his room, and desperately from the sound of it. The woman wondered what was wrong. Was the feral man angry that he couldn’t get out? Had he lost control? Whatever the reason, the woman knew she would need to calm him down.

 

“Miraak!” The Dragonborn called out. “Stop! I’m opening the door now.” Her only answer was snarl but she could no longer hear him moving. He was breathing heavily however. The warrior warily opened the door, on high alert. She was still unprepared however.

 

Miraak lunged at her as soon as the door opened, much quicker than the woman expected. The Dragonborn found herself underneath the furious man once more. Her sword fell from her grip to clatter onto the ground. Miraak’s eyes were narrowed in rage. His forehead was bruised and blood trailed down his face from a wound somewhere on his head. He must have tried to headbutt the door at least a few times. His talons briefly dug into her shoulder before the warrior reacted. 

 

This time the Dragonborn flipped them both over to try and pin Miraak onto the ground instead. He slipped free of her hold and rolled over onto his front, scrambling to get up. He accidentally kicked her sword further away from both of them. The warrior immediately leapt onto the man’s back and pushed him back down. They struggled until the female warrior was able to get into a better position to keep Miraak pinned. Without the added weight of her armor, it was harder but she managed it. 

 

It was then Silvan arrived. He had just finished feeding the animals, and was returning to the house, when he heard Miraak’s angry cry. The Bosmer appeared just in time to see the Dragonborn pinning down the feral man. The Dragonborn noticed him almost immediately but motioned for him to leave. She knew she’d have a better chance at calming Miraak if Silvan was not around. The Bosmer left, albeit hesitantly and without a word. He missed seeing Miraak attempt to turn around and bite his captor. The woman easily stopped him doing it by pressing his face into the ground.

 

“Miraak.” The Dragonborn voicing his name seemed to get through to him. He stopped all movement for a few moments before he growled lowly. Once more he struggled to break free of her hold, but it was a weaker attempt than before. The female warrior didn’t let go, not trusting him to not try and bolt or attack her again. He was still agitated. The woman called his name again and continued to pin him down. He breathed heavily and his body shook, whether in exhaustion, anger or something else, she didn’t know.

 

“Miraak. Listen to me. Don’t move.” He didn’t respond but he had stopped his struggling now. He didn’t growl or snarl at her either. The Dragonborn was a little confused why Miraak was acting this way. Had he not like being locked in? She quickly understood that this was likely the cause. The man had the entire island of Solstheim to roam around in before he was taken here. Being trapped in a room with no way out must have been terrifying for him.

 

Now that his breathing was lighter and more even, the Dragonborn hoped Miraak calm enough to release. She could still feel the tension in his body but that didn’t seem to be leaving any time soon. Carefully, the woman let go, alert in case Miraak tried to attack again. 

 

He didn’t. The man slowly pushed himself up, but didn’t stand. He crouched low and faced her, baring his teeth angrily.

 

“Miraak.” He looked at her but remained tense. She carefully showed him her hand and brought it close to him. He narrowed his eyes at her hand and swiped it away, backing away and snarling quietly. Instead of trying to force him, the Dragonborn shifted back. 

 

Seeing him like this was almost painful. This man not the First Dragonborn. This was not the arrogant, deceitful bastard who tried to kill her and take Solstheim. Before her was was just man who had lost all sense of self, reduced to having the mentality of a beast.

 

“I’m sorry.” The warrior found there was more meaning behind those words that she said aloud. She didn’t dwell on the apology and stood upright. She turned her gaze toward the door to Miraak’s room. Something needed to be done to get him to trust her again. She also could not lock Miraak up again. The woman wondered. Could she let Miraak wander around the house? How could she deal with him if he could?

 

The warrior sighed as she thought of what she could do. It would be a lot of work. Things would have to be moved to accommodate Miraak. He would almost assuredly be a nuisance wherever he went. She would have to make sure the feral man never attacked Silvan. The woman knew she would probably be losing quite a bit of sleep until she was sure Miraak would behave, but she had no choice. Her guilt would not allow her lock Miraak up again.

 

The Dragonborn didn’t question herself and stepped towards the wooden door. She used the Bound Dagger spell to summon the weapon for herself. With it in hand, she began to work on the hinge. After a minute one dropped to the floor. Soon after the other did as well. The woman then grabbed hold of he door and set it down on the ground outside. For now, she would leave it off but when Miraak trusted her again, she would put it back. But she would not allow it to be locked again.

 

“That better?” Miraak had watched her work and slunk forward, more animal like than she had seen him since Solstheim. He touched the wood on the floor and then looked to the doorway of his room. He looked back and forth a few times before the tension in his body faded.

 

The Dragonborn sighed in relief, seeing that. But she was not done. The warrior had one more thing to do, if Miraak would let her.

 

“Miraak, can you come here?” Less hostile and wary, but still less trusting than he was before, Miraak did not. She tried to make her voice softer, gentler. “Miraak. Please come here?”

 

Carefully, Miraak approached. The Dragonborn allowed the soft light of healing magic engulf her hand and cast it on Miraak. Instantly the bruises began to fade on his forehead, and wherever else they may have been. Miraak sighed in almost contentment but then promptly moved away. 

 

The man then went back into his room without complaint. He settled on his ‘bed’ and closed his eyes, seemingly tired after what had occurred. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could only manage a quick chapter, sorry!


	6. Chapter 6

As the Dragonborn could not lock Miraak in a room like she had originally planned, she found herself exhausted the next few days. Watching Miraak was a pain as he was so unpredictable. Teaching him was just as bad but the woman had made the decision to do it. She would help this man, and then find him somewhere suitable to live. It was the least she could do.

 

The warrior didn’t sleep much as Miraak got used to his new home, and she got used to having him around. It was always a little startling to turn around and find her former enemy behind her or see him passing by as he explored her home. A part of the Dragonborn expected to have Miraak speak one day and tell her that it was all a ruse before attempting to murder her. But he didn’t, and seeing him curl himself up in his blankets to sleep on the floor, nap in odd corners around the house or quietly struggle to figure out how something worked made the thought seem ridiculous.

 

The woman was careful never to leave Miraak and her steward alone with each other, as the feral man still did not like him. She wasn’t sure what he might do if left alone with Silvan. The Dragonborn tried to get Miraak to learn to tolerate him but so far all of her attempts had failed.

 

The Bosmer attempted to help but the former Dragon Priest was suspicious of whatever he did and tried to avoid him. Whenever the two men were in the same room, Miraak would glare and tense up. Silvan could not touch the man without him reacting negatively. If the steward dared enter his room, Miraak would become visibly aggressive to drive him off. The dark haired man seemed to know the room was his and was already possessive over it.

 

The female warrior knew Silvan greatly disliked Miraak but she was grateful that he was still willing to try and help. She admired the loyalty he showed in this situation and was glad she hired him. He would be getting a bonus or two in the near future.

 

Silvan and the Dragonborn kept any and all weapons far away from Miraak. Almost everything had been put away in the armory with the door locked tight. Even knives and other cutlery in the kitchen were locked away in a drawer. No doubt Miraak could find other ways to kill them if he really wanted but they thought it best to not make it easier for him.

 

The Dragonborn spent a lot of time trying to teach Miraak. She wanted him to learn to behave so she wouldn’t have to watch him as often. Maybe the woman would even be able to take him with her eventually. It would also be much easier to find Miraak somewhere suitable to live if he wasn’t aggressive or beast-like. She didn’t want him to end up caged like an animal.

 

One of the first things the female Dragonborn tried to teach Miraak was to eat properly. It took some time and many meals but Miraak learned to eat with utensils. He began to make less of a mess as well. He tended to prefer his hands when possible but it was a great start. The woman took note of his possessiveness when it came to his meals. If she attempted to take away any food Miraak had gotten a hold of he would growl, snarl or glare at her.

 

Before and after his meals, the Dragonborn made sure to clean Miraak’s hands. The man didn’t like this but he began to do it on his own, maybe only to avoid having the Dragonborn touch him. He didn’t clean them as well as she had but again, it was a start.

 

Thankfully, bathing came naturally to Miraak, though Silvan or the Dragonborn had to supervise him. He knew that being taken into the bathing chamber meant it was time to bathe and he seemed to enjoy the hot water. The man began to use soap on his own after the third bath. He had a little more trouble drying himself off and was usually still wet when he put his clothes on. Miraak didn’t seem to mind.

 

The female warrior was sometimes uneasy as she taught Miraak. He seemed to pick up certain things quite quickly. It was unnerving. She began to wonder if it was a good idea to keep doing this. If she taught him enough, would he return to being her enemy? The woman hoped not. Despite these doubts, the Dragonborn continued what she was doing.

 

Miraak had to stay in the house as the female Dragonborn did not trust him outside. She wasn’t sure if he would run away. The First Dragonborn did not like this arrangement and attempted to leave the house more than a few times. The Dragonborn had been able to prevent it, so far. She could tell Miraak was becoming anxious though. He paced around the house often, as if trying to burn off energy.

 

One thing the woman did to keep Miraak occupied was give him books. She found him looking through her library once. He had been careful with the books and spent hours staring at the pictures inside some of them. She ended up putting a little bookshelf in his room with several illustrated books. Miraak seemed to enjoy this and spent more time in his room.

 

The female warrior made the First Dragonborn follow her as much as she could. She’d make him sit in the cellar as she worked on making potions, enchanted and repaired her weapons, cleaned or did other tasks. Whenever Miraak walked, the Dragonborn would make sure to straighten his posture so he did it properly. Every time he tried to walk on fours, the woman would pull him up, much to the man’s annoyance. The more she did it, the less Miraak tried walking that way.

 

Miraak did not like to touch others unless absolutely necessary or when he was angry. On rare occasions, Miraak would come close and touch something that the Dragonborn was wearing, just sit near her or watch her intently as he grew more comfortable around her. These things would make the woman uneasy. She still didn’t know what to think of him.

 

The former Dragon Priest also tended to stick his nose in everything, being very curious. The female warrior had been able to nothing the first time she brought him into the cellar. She had ended up enduring his constant need to touch and or investigate everything he saw in the room or what she brought out. It was frustrating but also a little... Endearing? The woman didn’t know what to make of her thoughts at that moment.

 

* * *

 

As the days passed, Miraak became a little easier to teach. The Dragonborn found that when she spoke, Miraak seemed to be listening more intently than before. Even so, the Dragonborn did find herself repeating things quite often when Miraak blatantly ignored her. She found she had to gain his attention or else he would just ignore her entirely. He wasn’t always in a learning mood.

 

For some reason, whenever her steward would try to tell Miraak to do, or not do something, he would completely ignore him or just look blankly at him. It might have been because he did not like the Bosmer but it almost seemed like he could not understand him at all. Even Silvan trying to teach Miraak the most simplest of tasks would end in failure, with no comprehension on the feral man’s face. Once the First Dragonborn learned something from the female warrior though, he would rarely forget it.

 

By now Dragonborn knew for sure Miraak was not faking his condition and began to grow less wary of him. He had done nothing to her that had been serious. There had been a few incidents but they were pretty minor when she compared that to the fact that this man wanted to kill her six months ago.

 

Miraak would sometimes get a little antsy or aggressive when the woman tried to get him to, or stop him from, doing something. She was usually able to calm him down or wait until he calmed down but that didn’t always work. He had drawn blood when he bit her after she tried to keep him from going outside one night. The female warrior had ended up wrestling him to the ground. He was angry and snarled at her when she let him go, retreating back to his room. He forgot about the incident the next day. She was left with the bite and a few bruises but it was nothing serious.

 

Miraak also bit her when she tried to take away his plate of food after he had started playing with it. His teeth were sharp so they tore into her flesh easily. Her cry of pain had caused Miraak to quickly let go. He hadn't looked repentant but he didn't stop her when she angrily took the plate and marched away. He again, had retreated to his room for the rest of the night.

 

Another time was partly her own fault. She had accidentally left the door to her room open to grab a cup of water. When the Dragonborn came back, she found Miraak inside, going through her weapons chest. Not wanting Miraak to hurt himself, or her or Silvan for that matter, the female warrior knew she had to get him out of there. She had been frustrated at the time and didn't end up handling the situation as well as she should have.

 

The female warrior roughly pulled Miraak back from the weapons chest and snatched a dagger out of his hands. Maybe not knowing who was behind him, the man lashed out with his left hand as he tried to turn around. His talons ended up making several deep cuts on her arm. The woman had grown angry then and firmly grabbed hold of Miraak before pushing him outside. She slammed the door after him, letting her anger and frustration take over that night. She had regret her actions the next morning and vowed not to do that again. It was not Miraak's fault he didn't know any better.

 

* * *

 

In general, Miraak behaved better than she expected. He was curious about many things and would make a mess when opening drawers, closets and investigating everything he could get his hands on. It was not much of a problem since he rarely broke things but sometimes cleaning and finding things again would be a hassle. And even if he rarely broke things, that still meant he did at times.

 

The First Dragonborn never uttered a word since the female warrior found him on Solstheim. His main ways of communication were glares, growls and snarls. Sometimes snaps, bites or swipes with his talons if someone was not careful. The Dragonborn began to wonder if Miraak was even capable of speech. Maybe his vocal chords had been changed as well as certain parts of his body?

 

Though Miraak did not like Silvan, he did not try to kill or hurt him. The feral man preferred to ignore his presence if his threatening growls did not scare him away. For the Dragonborn, this was a good sign. It hopefully meant that he knew not to attack people, even if he didn't like them. The woman was infinitely grateful of Silvan in this time, putting up with everything Miraak did and taking care of what she and he needed. With how quickly Miraak seemed to be learning, the Dragonborn hoped she would be able to begin her search for a suitable home in the next few days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took so long to edit and I find that it's still off. But this is the best I could do for now.
> 
> Also, here is a document of Miraak prompts. I wrote a bunch down but was only planning on writing stories for a few of these. Feel free to take any of these ideas for yourselves if you are interested:  
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/17zYKYfk1Y6GK2cIxddTu2wRPqM6390ATQFtWW_8uM8w/edit?usp=sharing


	7. Chapter 7

“I’ll try to return as soon as possible.” The Dragonborn said as she picked up her travel bag. She had packed light, knowing she would return by nightfall. The sun had just risen and the female warrior and Silvan had quickly made preparations for her to leave. Miraak was still asleep, which made things easier.

 

The Dragonborn had decided that today she would finally look for a place to house Miraak. He was behaving better than expected and she felt that it was almost time to send him to a new home. The nearest city would be her first stop on her search. “Are you sure you’ll be alright alone?”

 

“I will be fine. You need to make this trip.” Silvan responded.

 

“Eager to have him gone?” The woman laughed, making her way toward the door. She could understand the feeling but didn’t feel it as much as her steward. Yes Miraak was a nuisance but… She could not blame him. He needed help right now. The woman still felt like she owed him that much, no matter the trouble he caused her.

 

“You have no idea.” Silvan sighed, looking visibly tired. It had not been easy on him, the last nine days that Miraak had stayed in the manor. The Bosmer was always on edge with Miraak around and the man himself irritated the Silvan completely.

 

“Thank you, Silvan. For everything you’ve done for me and Miraak. I know you didn’t sign up for this but I’m so glad you are still willing to help.”

 

“You are most welcome. I will take care of the bea-, Miraak, while you are gone. I pray you will find someplace for him on this trip.”

 

“I’ll try my best. See you soon.” The Dragonborn promised and left quietly. She did not want Miraak to see that she was leaving. The woman rushed towards her readied horse. Within moments, she had mounted it and guided it away from her home.

 

Even though Miraak had never really tried to kill either of them, the woman was still worried. He could be a little violent but she believed he didn’t mean to harm them seriously. She hoped everything would be okay with her gone.

 

As the female warrior moved further away from her home, she felt the odd connection she shared with Miraak begin to fade away. It had been with her so long that she had almost forgotten it was not normal. The woman didn’t understand what it was but it had never bothered her.

 

* * *

 

That night, the female Dragonborn returned home, her trip unsuccessful. There had not been any place she found suitable for Miraak. There was an asylum for those considered insane but the woman had not liked the place. It was more of a prison and the people were not treated well. Next she found herself at a home for the elderly but that was no place for Miraak. He doubted anyone there would want to deal with such a handful, let alone have the capacity for it.

 

While asking around, a group of people had overheard of what the female warrior wanted and offered to house Miraak, for a price. The woman had swiftly declined, not liking the feeling she got from the group. She could tell they were just a bunch of thugs. The only other place in the city was the prison itself and there was no way she was going to allow Miraak to be sent there.

 

The Dragonborn arrived home near sunset to find her steward sitting by the entrance of the manor with his head in his hands. When he heard a horse approaching, he jumped up and rushed to her. As the Bosmer approached, the female warrior could see that his clothing was covered in dirt and quite rumpled. Silvan took pride in his appearance and the woman felt her heart quicken. What had happened?

 

“I ask that the beast man be removed from this house immediately.” The Bosmer continued when he saw the expression on his employer's face. He knew she wouldn’t do it just like that. “If you cannot do this, then at least tell me you have found someplace for him.” Silvan was trying hard to keep composed, the woman could tell.

 

“I’m sorry Silvan. There was no place suitable.” The Dragonborn admitted. “Please tell me what happened. Are you okay? Where is Miraak?”

 

“I am fine, filthy, but fine. _Miraak_ is inside.” Silvan spat. “Not even an hour after you left, that... _creature_ began to make a mess. I attempted to get him to stop and he lunged at me! I feared for my life and so I tried to leave the house. I attempted to close the door behind me but the beast was too fast. He got out. After that, he stalked me through the forest. I’ve never run so much! And when I was exhausted, the beast pounced on me. And do you know what it did? Nothing! It just _laughed_ at me. I could see him grinning at me and then he fled. Back into the house, I learned after. He's unstable! You must get rid of him!”

 

The Dragonborn felt some anger bubble up at what Miraak had done but there was also relief. Miraak had chased Silvan, yes, but he had not hurt him.

 

“Let me see him, Silvan. I will deal with it. You go get yourself cleaned up and rest.” The woman ordered before dismounting her horse. What was she supposed to do now?

 

* * *

 

The female warrior entered the house to find that Miraak had tracked dirt all over the floor of the manor. The filth from his ‘hunt’ led around the house and then back to his room. When she entered, she found the man sprawled on the bed, napping. The Dragonborn noticed Miraak had been using the bed more often, maybe realizing it was more comfortable than the ground.

 

Miraak’s clothing was ruined and and he was oblivious to the exasperation the Dragonborn felt while watching him. Maybe, the woman thought once again, she should have left him on Solstheim. The Dragonborn moved to shake him awake but paused when she looked upon the sleeping man’s face. Her anger died at the contented look she found. It was such an odd thing to see, since the man did not express that sort of emotion often.

 

Rethinking, the woman stepped back from Miraak. The man had probably missed hunting and being able to roam outside. Could she really blame him when he did not really understand his actions? Miraak hadn't really hurt anyone so maybe she could give him a free pass on this, just this once?

 

The woman sighed and went to see Silvan. She would apologize on Miraak’s behalf and clean up the mess herself. She’d beg for Silvan to give the former Dragon Priest another chance as well.

 

* * *

 

After that incident, the Dragonborn redoubled her efforts on training Miraak and making sure he was listening to her. The feral man was fairly irritated with this new development but he had no choice but to do as the Dragonborn wanted.

 

The female warrior knew Miraak must have missed his freedom and so she began to take him outside. She always made sure to watch him carefully. She did not want him to run away. He could end up hurting someone.

 

It was hard work keeping an eye on Miraak as he roamed and hunted. Even so, the woman found that she enjoyed the it. She had been cooped up in the house for too long. The woman rarely stayed in one place for more than a few days these last few years.

 

On these outings, Miraak was able to successfully kill several small animals with his bare hands. She knew he was capable to taking down a small boar with as much so she wouldn’t be surprised if he was able to take down larger prey as well. Those talons came in handy.

 

Though the Last Dragonborn tried her best to stay close to Miraak, that did not mean he did the same. On their fourth trip outside, the woman lost sight of the former Dragon Priest and panicked. She had turned around only for a few moments and when she turned back, Miraak was gone. The female warrior had searched for hours but found no sight of him. She had called for him but received no indication that he was around. Even the connection she always felt had faded away.

 

That night, she had began the trek home without Miraak. She could feel the worry in her gut like a heavy weight. Where was Miraak? What if he hurt someone? What if he got hurt? It would be all her fault for losing him.

 

Minutes before returning home, the Dragonborn felt the strange connection reappear. She stood still, trying to discern where he was. The warrior could tell her was somewhere nearby, but not which direction. The feeling was getting stronger so she could tell Miraak was coming closer. He was returning to the manor.

 

Relieved once more and hoping she was right, the Dragonborn entered her home and waited by the entrance. A half hour later, there was a bang on the door and the Dragonborn immediately went to open it. Outside, she found him.

 

Miraak was dirty once more but looking almost proud of himself. He was hunched over, carrying something on his back. In the dim light the woman could not immediately tell what it was. The Dragonborn tensed as she saw blood on the man’s clothes.

 

The First Dragonborn dropped what he was carrying and the woman could finally see what it was. A deer. An adult female to be specific, as she could see no antlers.

 

Miraak grinned ferally as the beast’s blood began to darken the front of her home. The expression on his face startled the Dragonborn but she knew he had no ill intention towards her. Or at least she hoped. She felt a shiver crawl up her spine but she ignored her discomfort.

 

The woman sighed and pulled Miraak into the house. He gave her a half-hearted snap but allowed himself to be drawn in. He stood near the door as the Dragonborn went to inspect the deer. It’s throat had been slashed open by Miraak’s talons and one of its legs had several deep gouges. Other than that the hide was in almost perfect condition.

 

The female Dragonborn decided not to call for Silvan to help her dress and clean the animal. That would be her job for the night. Miraak watched her from inside the house. He yawned widely, probably exhausted from taking down such a large animal.

 

On the spur of the moment, the female warrior walked over to ruffle Miraak’s hair. He meant well, it seemed. It felt odd to do such a thing but Miraak did not show any displeasure at the gesture.

 

* * *

 

That creature was a nuisance, Silvan thought as he glared at the doorless room of his employer's new ‘pet’. He sat at one of the tables outside the dining room with a cup of tea. The Bosmer wasn’t sure why the Dragonborn brought one of her enemies under their roof or why she let him stay for so long. It was not his place to question her but he wanted to. After the beast had chased Silvan, all he could do was pray that the Dragonborn would change her mind and just get rid of Miraak.

 

It had been a little more than two weeks since the First Dragonborn had intruded into the home of the Dragonborn. At first, it wasn’t too hard to avoid the newcomer as the beast liked to avoid him as well. But recently the feral man began to act more territorial. It was unsettling. Sometimes the creature would even follow Silvan and watch what he was doing for long periods of time.

 

The beast also didn’t listen to him, only the Dragonborn. No matter what Silvan would say, Miraak would refuse to obey.

 

Silvan was roused out of his thoughts when he heard quick footsteps. Speak of the devil, the Bosmer thought. Miraak walked towards his room with something in his hands. He was walking with his back straight, looking almost like a normal Man or Mer. Silvan knew better.

 

“Wait, where did you get that, you beast!” Silvan shouted as he saw a loaf bread, one of the many he had baked that morning, in his hand. The steward had put those in a cabinet so the Dragonborn’s pet could not find them. The ‘man’ was always taking any food he could find whenever he got hungry, even when it was not meant for him. He learned not to do it in front of the Dragonborn but when she was not in the immediate vicinity, he did as he wanted.

 

That beast grinned back at him, sharp teeth flashing. He disappeared inside his room.

  
Silvan tried to force his anger down but could not. He hastily stood up from his seat and turned away to storm into his room. The Bosmer had been hoping to eat that bread with some jelly he had made. Now he would have to make another batch. He refused to eat anything that the beast’s filthy had had touched.


	8. Chapter 8

One of the first places the Dragonborn took Miraak was the College of Winterhold. She was hesitant, but she needed to give Urag the book from Solstheim and the quest was long overdue. Miraak would have to come along as he could not be left alone for so long. In the month since she began taking care of him, Miraak never tried to kill or seriously harm her or Silvan. The woman hoped he would behave in front of others as well. If not, the warrior knew she would be able to prevent him from hurting anyone.

 

Sighing and hoping for the best, the Dragonborn got herself and Miraak ready. She had some leather armor that would fit the man and tried to dress him in it. Miraak wouldn’t allow it though. He must have hated the feel and weight of it. In the end, she just let him wear regular clothes, with a cloak, gloves and hood obscuring his more unnatural features.

 

With a prayer to any Gods that were listening, the Dragonborn departed with her companion.

 

* * *

 

Miraak was not too terrible, once the Dragonborn had taught him a few things. Like not to try and chase every rabbit or deer that came across their path. Or to growl at people, like their driver. Or to wander off when the cart stopped for breaks. And to actually listen to her and not repeatedly try to take off his hood or gloves.

 

It longer to reach their destination than it would have but they made it in once piece and without anyone they met in their travels figuring out Miraak’s secret. He did need to change his clothes twice on their journey however, as attempting to chase after some wildlife had ended with him falling into a muddy ditch first time and into a river the second. The woman used the same excuse that Miraak was addled to explain his behaviors. She also paid the driver extra once again.

 

The two companions left their driver during the afternoon as they neared their destination. They camped a little way outside Winterhold. The woman wanted to avoid going into the town during the day and settled down to waste some time while Miraak decided it was time to take a nap. She allowed him to take off the hood and gloves and picked them off the ground where he threw them.

 

As Miraak slept peacefully on his bedroll, the Dragonborn found herself growing tired. Only meaning to lay down for a short time, she instead fell asleep. The woman woke up much later, the sky dark. She bolted upright and immediately turned to face where Miraak had been. She found him awake, jerking slightly at her sudden movements. He froze, in the process of digging through her pack. He had already tossed most of the contents aside, like her weapons, utensils and medical supplies. With a huff of exasperation, the female warrior got up to snatch the pack from Miraak. He didn’t snap at her or try to take it back, which was a good sign. Maybe he realized he was doing something wrong.

 

The Last Dragonborn already knew what the feral man wanted and dug out a sweet roll from a side pocket. She offered one to Miraak and her eagerly took it from her hands. The woman found herself relieved and even smiled. Though Miraak could have killed her as she slept, he did not. He had come near her to take the pack and even had her weapons in hand.

 

The few people up that night paid little attention to the tall, hooded man in the College. Most were up because they were busy with projects, studying or practising some new magic. They had also gotten used to the occasional man or woman coming with the Dragonborn so they did not question her. Miraak ended up staying close to her, wary of the new people he could see. The female Dragonborn could only imagine how the man’s eyes would be darting around for threats.

 

Thankfully, the Dragonborn was able to get in and out with little trouble though Urag did notice her strange companion when he picked up book to ‘read’ it upside down. Miraak liked his picture books at home. He was careful with them, not needing any training to be. He just knew books were fragile.

 

The woman nervously took the book from Miraak, expecting a growl, which would likely cause more suspicion but the man easily let it go. The Dragonborn placed the book back on the table and pulled him away from the Arcanaeum. She watched him crane his head back to look at all the books one more time before they left.

 

Quest complete, the two returned home, the trip back being much more smooth.

 

* * *

 

It was hard to admit, but having Miraak around kept the Dragonborn from being bored. She was always talking to him, mostly trying to explain things and teach him but it gave her something to do.

 

The female warrior had been getting a tad lonely lately. Silvan was a wonderful steward but he was not much of a talker or a fighter. He could not travel with her and neither shared much of the same interests. He was mostly business when it came to conversations.

 

The Dragonborn was also traveling too much to make many friends. The people she hired were good company but she changed them too often for them to become really close with her. It was mostly business anyway. She paid them to work for her so it didn’t feel like real friendships.

 

With Miraak around, the woman found that she did not feel the loneliness she usually did.

* * *

 

Since he had been brought to Skyrim, Miraak had made amazing progress though he still never spoke. He was much less the beast the Dragonborn had found in Solstheim. He also behaved better around her steward, though both men still hated each other. Miraak would no longer snarl or growl in his presence or do anything to provoke him. He didn’t do anything to other Men and Mer he met either, as they had gone and done several easy quests together. It was nothing that required fighting, and having the tall, intimidating looking man with her sometimes made things easier.

 

The warrior could never get Miraak to wear any armor so she had to make do with reinforcing his clothes with enchantments. She ended up buying him some rather expensive dark colored robes with a hood. The woman also decided to buy him some matching gloves and boots. The clothing suited him well, though she only ever let him wear the set when they were leaving the manor. It was likely he would ruin them if she wasn’t watching him.

 

When the Dragonborn began taking Miraak with her on quests, things usually went well. There were some minor incidents here and there when Miraak would do something embarrassing or odd but in all, he wasn’t as bad she thought he would be. The former Dragon Priest stayed quiet around other people after a few scoldings. He would always follow her without her having to tell him and he didn’t attack anyone. Any vocalized displeasure was usually only low enough for her to hear, as he normally stuck to her like glue when around other Men or Mer. This was all likely because he was uncomfortable around other people but it worked well for his keeper.

 

* * *

 

The Dragonborn made a mistake once. Thinking she had taken on an easy quest, she and Miraak traveled to an abandoned cave to find a ring. After finding the ring, both she and Miraak fell through a weakened section of the ground and ended up in a draugr crypt. The noise alerted the undead beasts and several swarmed them as they got their bearings.

 

The Dragonborn knew they were in trouble and immediately drew her sword to fight. She was slightly panicked as she realized she would need to keep Miraak safe. She wasn’t sure if the man would be able to defend himself without getting hurt in the process.

 

The woman yelled at him to stay back and assumed he would listen as he shied away from living humanoids. She figured he would be the same with undead ones. The warrior found herself surprised however, when Miraak instead joined the fray.

 

The feral man roared at the draugr and leapt on one, dodging its blade and using his talons to sever its neck and then rip its head clean off. The Dragonborn was startled but rushed forward to block an arrow that was about to hit her companion. She used her magic to shoot a fireball at the archer and it went down as it began to burn. There were two draugr left and both seemed intent on attacking the female Dragonborn. The woman found herself relieved at this.

 

Miraak was breathing hard as he eyed the sword his foe had dropped for a few moments. He looked up and saw the woman and draugr fighting, both using swords like the one he saw before him. Realizing it might be useful, he snatched the weapon from the ground.

 

The woman saw Miraak take the sword and wondered what he planned to do with it. It didn’t seem like he knew how to use it. He looked at the sword and then around him, backing away as one draugr neared him. In its attempt to find a better position to attack the female warrior, it had inadvertently neared Miraak. The woman quickly put herself in front of Miraak just in case it tried to focus on him instead.

 

As the female Dragonborn was about to shout, a new draugr burst into the room. His Shout blasted her before she could utter her own. The Draugr Lord’s power knocked the woman back and sent her crashing into Miraak. They both hit the ground with cries of pain. The woman felt a sharp tug from within her chest at the contact with Miraak but picked herself up to fight once more. She was furious now. There was no way she would allow herself to be defeated or allow Miraak to be hurt. The warrior used her Unrelenting Force shout throw her enemies away from her. Then, she charged the stronger draugr. She hoped to be able to take him down quick.

 

Seeing the female Dragonborn charge, Miraak finally attacked with his own sword. As the woman stabbed her sword through the Draugr Lord’s body, Miraak attacked the two remaining foes. He blocked an incoming strike with his own weapon and then slashed at his enemy's exposed throat. His sword went through the neck easily, the force of the blow slicing through bone and decapitating it. Miraak immediately attacked the other Draugr but found his sword knocked out of his hand. Once again, the man leapt at his foe and used his talons.

 

With the last enemy down, the battle was won and neither Dragonborn ended up seriously hurt.

 

* * *

 

The female Dragonborn was surprised at what happened during the fight. When threatened, it looked like Miraak could fight pretty capably. He had even used a sword. Was it something instinctual? It didn’t seem like he knew what to do at first but then remembered. She wondered if she should be worried.

 

Miraak walked over to the female warrior. He growled lowly, looking rather agitated. He didn’t seem happy at what had just happened. The woman herself was not. Her decision to come here could have gotten both of them hurt or possibly killed. Thankfully both of them were okay.

 

The woman was grateful to Miraak. He had helped her out so she smiled and thanked him, intending to ruffle his hair. Instead she backed away when Miraak bent down to pick up the draugr head. He sniffed it once before tossing it aside. The Dragonborn cringed at the act.

 

Before moving on, the Dragonborn looted what she could from the bodies of the draugr. There was nothing much but some gold and a gem or two. Pausing a moment, the Dragonborn made a decision while looking through the bodies. She picked up the sword Miraak had used and offered it to him. The man stared at her and then the blade. Miraak was not allowed to touch any of the weapons back at home and hesitated. When the woman did not take the blade away, he took it.

 

The female warrior then pulled Miraak along to try and find a way out of the crypt.

 

* * *

 

 

Miraak ended up being rather helpful in dispatching any enemies they found on their way out. He needed work on his fighting skills but she was there to cover his mistakes and protect him when he left himself open. The Dragonborn realized that if trained, Miraak could possibly be a fairly decent warrior.

 

Once again, the Dragonborn began to think of finding a home for Miraak. He behaved much better than before. He wouldn’t be as much trouble and she knew he wasn’t as hard to take care of anymore. There really wasn’t much of a reason she should keep him with her any longer.

 

The thought left the woman a little torn. She had taken care of Miraak quite well, though he had been a nuisance at times. Could anyone else do the same? How was she to know they would treat him as well as she had? How was she to know if they wouldn’t be hurting him if he could not speak?

 

For now the woman decided she would keep Miraak with her... Maybe even try to train him to use weapons and see how that went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quickly posting this before I go to work. Its been long overdue. ;p


End file.
